The
health industry has been transformed by the use of technology and
the web to transmit information to patients. A February 2004 report
by Harris Interactive calculated that 111 million American adults
have looked for health information on the Internet, compared to
109 million in 2003 and 110 million in 2002. The majority of the
users are seeking information rather than managing their health.
But inititives such as the NHS Direct Online are looking for ways
to encourage patients to become more proactive in their own health
management.

e-health
is an emerging field in the intersection of medical informatics,
public health and business, referring to health services and information
delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies.
In a broader sense, the term characterizes not only a technical
development, but also a state-of-mind, a way of thinking, an attitude,
and a commitment for networked, global thinking, to improve health
care locally, regionally, and worldwide by using information and
communication technology. - 2001 definition published in the article
What is e-health? J Med Internet Res 2001;3(2):e20